Differences in IVF vs. Natural Pregnancies

(Ivanhoe Newswire) — There are distinct differences in protein detection between woman who become pregnant through in-vitro fertilization rather than spontaneous pregnancies in the first half of gestation, according to a new study.

“Since women who have IVF pregnancies have a higher rate of complication than women with spontaneous pregnancies, we are looking for what may cause those complications,” the study’s author Mervi Haapsamo, M.D., of the University of Oulu, Finland, was quoted as saying.

For the study, maternal sera were collected from 55 women who had undergone IVF and 55 women with spontaneous pregnancies at 11 and 19 gestational weeks.

When the samples were analyzed, researchers reported finding differences between the two groups of pregnancies, including differences in extra-cellular matrix, cytoskeletal and vascular, complement, and transport proteins — all of which are important in placentation. Most of the differences disappeared by 19 weeks.

“The functions of many of these proteins are unknown. Further research may help explain the root causes of adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with IVF pregnancy and suggest early, selective treatments,” Haapsamo said.

SOURCE: Presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in San Diego, California